Generally I prefer to see the director's cut of anything. I mean it's their show, not the studio's. We watched it thru then went back to see if the theatrical had a more connected ending. No such luck.
What I don't understand was how this got past a test audience of any one other than mothers. The premise of the crazy mom who has lost a non-existent son was slow to build, and thrown out way before you could really attach yourself to her. OK, so now it's not crazy mom, but elaborate gov't cover up complete with convert sidekick and omnipotent NSA agents. Then when we are starting to chase that line, it's got aliens and all the quick SFX that we can squeeze out of this turnip.
This is where the last wheel falls off. Theatrical ending (think Sigorney Aliens) "I HAD A SON AND HIS NAME IS SAM!!!", confrontation with Alien, who reveals he's on the hook for his test, which he gets pink slipped for...
or
Alternate ending (think i dunno, some thing like warm milk and stale cookies) "I ...had...a...son... " etc etc. explanation by Alien, who reveals that this test is over and...
out of the goodness of their alien hearts give back the kids, the parents, the memories, and probably any thing else they have used in 14 months so that she can get back to her life and be the only one any the wiser.
What bugs me, that any one of the three stories could have played out but never was given a chance. Even the two versions of the ending could easily have been joined and made a stronger finish as it was.
Julianne Moore was at her best when we all thought she was delusional, but as this driver-less carriage wandered from concept to concept, she just got weaker. Gary Sinise was great, we knew he was in on it but wished they built him up more so when his smoke and mirrors were gone it would have impacted Julianne's character better.
Sorry, but it felt like a film directed by a civil servant committee guided by tax lawyers.
What I don't understand was how this got past a test audience of any one other than mothers. The premise of the crazy mom who has lost a non-existent son was slow to build, and thrown out way before you could really attach yourself to her. OK, so now it's not crazy mom, but elaborate gov't cover up complete with convert sidekick and omnipotent NSA agents. Then when we are starting to chase that line, it's got aliens and all the quick SFX that we can squeeze out of this turnip.
This is where the last wheel falls off. Theatrical ending (think Sigorney Aliens) "I HAD A SON AND HIS NAME IS SAM!!!", confrontation with Alien, who reveals he's on the hook for his test, which he gets pink slipped for...
or
Alternate ending (think i dunno, some thing like warm milk and stale cookies) "I ...had...a...son... " etc etc. explanation by Alien, who reveals that this test is over and...
out of the goodness of their alien hearts give back the kids, the parents, the memories, and probably any thing else they have used in 14 months so that she can get back to her life and be the only one any the wiser.
What bugs me, that any one of the three stories could have played out but never was given a chance. Even the two versions of the ending could easily have been joined and made a stronger finish as it was.
Julianne Moore was at her best when we all thought she was delusional, but as this driver-less carriage wandered from concept to concept, she just got weaker. Gary Sinise was great, we knew he was in on it but wished they built him up more so when his smoke and mirrors were gone it would have impacted Julianne's character better.
Sorry, but it felt like a film directed by a civil servant committee guided by tax lawyers.